In a game of cricket, it is not easy to rate a batsman as the best or greatest as every player boasts a different set of skills while coming to the cricket field. In every generation or a decade, there are few batters who went on to rule the entire era of cricket with their batting prowess. The greatness of a batter can be judged with their numbers including the runs, batting average, number of centuries, half-centuries and more. There are many batters who excelled in all of these and etched their name in the history books.
Although every batter is great in his own term, you cannot compare two great batters of different generations as both have played in different circumstances during their playing days. In 1950s and 60s, batting wasn’t easy as there wasn't much safety equipment for the batters. On the other hand, in today’s modern era of T20 cricket, the batters love to get big runs and make the batting look easy. However, in modern days, the batters are also expected to score runs at a quick pace as the number of overs become shorter. Let’s have a look at some of the greatest batters in history of cricket
Best Batsmen in World
Sir Don Bradman 
Australian great Sir Don Bradman is regarded as the greatest batsman of all time. He ruled the cricketing world in the decade of 1930s and 40s, an era where it wasn’t easy to bat due to lack of safety equipment. With 6996 runs in 52 Test matches in his career, Bradman went on to hit 29 hundreds and 13 fifties. He retired with a record Test average of 99.94, which is still untouched by many of the great batters throughout the years.
#PAGE_BREAK#
Sachin Tendulkar:
Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar was one of the most complete batters who excelled with his batting prowess and went on to shatter several cricketing records in his 24-year glorious cricketing career. With record-100 centuries to his name, Sachin also boasts a record for being the all-time highest run getter across all formats in international cricket. He has amassed 34357 runs from 664 matches in all three formats combined. He is also given the title of God of Cricket for his contribution to the sport over the years.
#PAGE_BREAK#
Sunil Gavaskar:
Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar is often called as the first ever superstar of Indian cricket. Gavaskar was known for his technique and class due to which he amassed a number of runs and was once the highest run getter of all time. Gavaskar has amassed 13214 runs from 125 Tests and 108 ODIs combined with 35 hundreds.
#PAGE_BREAK#
Ricky Ponting:
One of the greatest captains of all time, Australia’s RIcky Ponting was a kind of player who used to lead from the front and is still the all-time highest run getter for Australia across formats. Ponting has amassed 27368 from 559 matches in his international career along with 70 hundreds and 156 half-centuries. He also excelled in captaincy leading Australia to two World Cup title in 2003 and 2007 and two Champions Trophy 2006 and 2009 respectively.
#PAGE_BREAK#
Sir Viv Richards:
Sir Viv Richards was a monumental part of the West Indies’ team that dominated the cricketing world in the decade of 1970s and 80s. One of the greatest batters of his time, Richards was known for his fierce batting that left the fans awestruck in that era. An average of 50.23 in Tests and 47 in ODIs is enough to define the caliber of the former Windies cricketer. Viv Richards has played 121 Tests, and 187 ODIs scoring 15261 runs in both the formats, hitting 35 centuries.
#PAGE_BREAK#
Brian Lara:
Former West Indies cricketer Brian Lara was a kind of player who used to score big runs and leave the bowlers helpless with his power hitting abilities. Being the only batter to score 400 runs in a Test innings, Lara also boasts a record for becoming the first–ever player to score more than 500 runs in an innings in first class cricket. He has over 10000 runs each in both Tests and ODIs and is regarded as one of the greatest for West Indies in late 90s and 2000s. Lara has played 131 Tests and 299 ODIs in his career amassing 22358 runs altogether with 53 hundreds.
#PAGE_BREAK#
Jacques Kallis:
Former South African cricketer Jacques Kallis is regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders of all time and also emerged as one of the greatest batsmen in the world due to his phenomenal numbers with the bat across formats. Kallis is the third highest run getter of all time in Test cricket and also the leading run getter for the Proteas across all formats. Kallis has played 513 matches in his career amassing 25422 runs with 62 hundreds.
#PAGE_BREAK#
Virat Kohli:
One of the greatest batters in modern day cricket, India’s Virat Kohli is known for shattering several batting records set by the some great batters of the previous generations. During his prime, Kohli could take the match away from the opponent’s hands single-handedly with his big tons and match-winning knocks. The right-hander now boasts a record for becoming the first player to score 50 centuries in ODI cricket. He is also the second highest run getter of all time for the Indian cricket team. Virat Kohli has scored 27324 runs combined in 123 Tests, 295 ODIs and 125 ODIs in his career so far, along with 81 centuries.
#PAGE_BREAK#
Joe Root:
Star English batter Joe Root has mastered the art of technical batting in modern day cricket. He comes in the list of the greatest active cricketers especially in the Test format. He is now the all-time highest run scorer for England across all formats and is currently on the verge of breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s long standing record of most runs in Test cricket. Root has amassed 20406 runs from 356 matches across formats in his career so far along with 52 hundred and 109 fifties.
#PAGE_BREAK#
Steve Smith:
Australia’s Steve Smith has also established himself as one of the greatest batters in modern day cricket. Starting his international career as leg spinner, Smith went on to become the full-time batter and excelled across all formats especially in Tests and ODIs. Smith has played 348 matches across formats in his career so far scoring 17016 with 48 centuries.
